Fried Fish More Popular in ‘Stroke Belt’

People in the “stroke belt” eat more fried fish than people in other parts of the country, a new study has found. Eight Southern states are called the stroke belt because of their high stroke rate. The new study included more than 21,000 people from across the United States. They were asked about their medical histories and filled out questionnaires about the foods they ate. The American Heart Association suggests eating fish at least twice a week. But only about 23% of those in the study followed that advice. People in the stroke belt were 17% less likely to eat non-fried fish twice a week than people in other regions. But they were 32% more likely to eat fried fish. Lean fish, such as cod and haddock, are more likely to be fried than fatty fish such as salmon. These fish are lower in healthy omega-3 fats than fatty fish. Frying also reduces omega-3 fats.